Chapter 242
After buying their outfits for the ball, Simon and Loraine took a teleportation magic circle together and returned to Keyzen.
The two hadn’t officially received a direct assignment yet, nor had they collected the request letter.
And as soon as they returned to Keyzen, vice-chancellor Jane summoned Simon and Loraine.
The two headed toward the building where Jane’s lab was located.
“……So.”
Walking beside him, Loraine stared quietly at Simon’s face.
“All of it was just to repay the debt to Serne, and sticking close to her in Langerstine was just a show to look friendly in front of the Ivory Tower people.”
“Yeah, yeah, exactly!”
Simon worked hard to clear up the misunderstanding.
“That’s low.”
After hearing the whole explanation, Loraine closed her eyes tightly.
“She didn’t use feathers this time, but it’s like she just has to manipulate people, or she’s not satisfied.”
“……Haha.”
Listening to Loraine, they arrived at Jane’s lab.
Loraine stepped forward and knocked.
“Professor Jane, we’re here about the assignment.”
Click!
Before the words had even finished, the door opened on its own, and at the far end, they could see Jane sitting at her desk.
Even though it was the weekend, she was buried in a mountain of paperwork.
“Come in.”
The two walked in and stood in front of Jane.
“This is a direct assignment sent to the two of you. The client is Princess Molly of the Dresden Kingdom.”
Jane gave a brief summary, but it was all information they already knew.
Both accepted the request and tucked the letter into their clothes.
“You’ll be attending a royal event as representatives of Keyzen. Please be especially mindful of your behavior and speech. Do not bring shame to Keyzen. That’s all.”
The two gave a respectful bow. As they were about to leave, Loraine glanced at the towering pile of paperwork and quietly said,
“You’re going through a lot because of Mom. Professor.”
“It can’t be helped.”
Jane gave a small chuckle.
“This was my fate from the moment Lady Neftis picked me up. And Simon Follentia.”
Simon straightened up with tension and replied.
“Yes, Professor!”
“Your body.”
She paused her quill for a moment and raised her head.
“Is it alright?”
“!”
It was a bit unexpected. That cold Professor Jane was worried about him?
Simon felt something swell in his chest as he replied.
“Yes! I’m fine!”
“That’s good. Then, look forward to the briefing for the next Elementary Black Magic class.”
“……Excuse me?”
“To fall from first place to tenth. Even considering it was a disadvantageous theme for a Summonology major, the drop is too much.”
The corners of Jane’s lips lifted.
“I’ll thoroughly analyze and tear you apart next week, so be prepared.”
Even though they were indoors, Simon felt a chill run down his spine.
“I-I’ll make sure not to disappoint you next time!”
“Of course. You may go.”
Jane picked up her quill again, and Simon and Loraine exited the lab.
“…….”
After the students left and the door closed, Jane set her quill down. She lightly tapped the mana projector installed on the desk, and the video she had been watching resumed.
It was footage of Simon sweeping away kobolds with the Royal Guard and charging forward. As the crowd’s cheers echoed, a smile crept onto Jane’s lips.
She’d already lost count of how many times she’d rewatched it.
‘It’s a first.’
She was the vice-chancellor and a supervising professor at Keyzen, but for the first time, she felt envious of the course professors who could take on direct disciples.
* * *
The next afternoon.
Wearing a tuxedo for the ball, with a bow tie and even polished shoes, Simon headed toward the hill where the large teleportation circle was.
However, as someone who was completely new to school life, he had overlooked one important detail.
‘E-Everyone’s staring like crazy.’
When everyone else is wearing uniforms and you're the only one in different clothes, you stand out like a sore thumb.
Ever since he stepped into the dormitory hallway, all eyes had been on him, and once he exited into the school grounds, countless gazes pierced him.
“Wow, look at that first-year’s necktie. So cute~”
“Going to a party or something?”
His face flushed red. If he’d known this would happen, he would’ve come in his uniform and changed after teleporting.
He had rushed to get ready and hadn’t thought it through. Every murmuring voice around him felt like it was about his outfit.
Simon quickened his pace and left the school grounds, climbing the hill.
‘I’m doomed.’
He reached the destination. He’d thought everyone left yesterday because of mission evaluations, but quite a few students were still heading out for evaluations today.
Naturally, their eyes focused on Simon.
“Oh! You going to your childhood friend’s birthday party?”
“Hey, bumpkin! Don’t you know a pocket square goes in your chest, not wrapped around your head?”
“Puhahaha!”
For some reason, the blatantly provoking voices felt familiar, it was Hector’s faction. Hector himself wasn’t in sight, though.
“Wearing a tux during mission evaluation? Must be nice to live that easy.”
“No wonder he’s Special Admission Number 1. Probably got another special assignment to babysit some noblewomen for cash.”
“As expected~ Totally different class from us, huh?”
Their provocations grew more intense. Some of the nearby students' gazes became increasingly sharp.
‘Seriously.’
That didn’t happen in Class A. He was starting to think Hector might’ve been the only thing keeping these guys in check.
Just as Simon was about to speak—
“Good to know you recognize we're in a different class~”
A soft, smooth voice echoed out. Every student who turned their head had their eyes go wide.
The girl who walked up beside Simon and casually placed her hand on his arm was wearing a beautiful ivory-colored dress that matched her hair color.
“Sorry I’m just out here babysitting noblewomen during mission evaluations.”
With Serne flashing a chilling smile, the pupils of Hector’s faction visibly shook.
‘……This psycho!’
‘W-Was he going with Serne?!’
No matter how powerful Hector’s umbrella was, Serne Eindark was a whole different league of weirdo.
They had just made the worst possible enemy.
“You’re early.”
Step.
This time, a girl with black hair was walking over.
Wearing a dress as dark as the night sky, her appearance made jaws drop, boys and girls alike.
‘Loraine Arkbold!’
‘She’s Neftis’s daughter, right?’
‘……S-She’s stunning.’
Loraine stepped up next to Simon.
“Simon, what’s with the mood here?”
“Ah~”
Serne tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and answered in his place.
“Some people over there, were getting jealous of Simon because he’s going on a direct assignment they can’t get~”
Hearing that, Loraine shot a cold gaze at Hector’s faction.
“Guh.”
“......That’s the sound of our school life going down the drain.”
To have caught the attention of those two in such a short span, Hector’s faction looked like they were about to cry.
The students who had subtly sided with them had already bolted off elsewhere, pretending they had nothing to do with it.
“Alright! Time to depart!”
Just then, the teleportation gate operator called out.
“Students heading to the Geron Fiefdom, please step in first!”
“Yes!”
The teleportation magic circle had saved them at the perfect moment.
As Hector’s faction scrambled away without daring to make eye contact, Serne burst into loud laughter.
“Don’t mind them, Simon.”
Said Loraine.
“Yeah.”
Simon glanced at Loraine in her dress and added,
“......But seriously, that dress really suits you.”
“Thanks. You look great in that tuxedo too.”
“Me? I’ve been getting nothing but laughs all the way here.”
“Well now~”
Serne, standing beside him, gave a sly smile.
“Was it really mockery though?”
The three of them stepped onto the teleportation magic circle and arrived directly at the royal palace of Dresden.
On one side, carriages were pulling in and nobles in lavish attire were stepping out, greeted respectfully by royal butlers.
Simon, too, started to head inside with the two girls in dresses, when a man in royal servant’s uniform came running up.
“You’re the guests from Keyzen, correct? Her Highness is awaiting you.”
The three were guided along a route separate from the other guests.
‘Well, we’re technically here under the premise of guarding Princess Molly.’
Simon looked around. As expected of a royal palace, he thought, it was vast and extravagant.
Luxurious red carpet stretched across the floors, and the walls were covered in golden ornamentation. There wasn’t a single empty space left unadorned, opulence in its most extreme form.
After a short while, the trio stopped in front of a room. As soon as the butler opened the door, a girl in a white dress came running out with a bright smile.
“Welcome, all three of you!”
It was Princess Molly, the client of this direct evaluation assignment and such a lover of necromancers that she was often called a “Necromancer PhD”.
The three bowed in greeting, and she bounced on the spot with joy, like a fangirl meeting her favorite actor.
After greeting Loraine and Serne in turn, she came up to Simon.
“I’m sorry about what happened last semester, because of my older brother.”
At that, Simon flusteredly waved his hands.
“Ah, not at all, Your Highness!”
“I heard you did amazingly on the recent BMAT exam too! Mama grounded me so I couldn’t go watch in person, but I’ve been following the news! I’ll keep cheering for you from the palace, at least in spirit!”
Princess Molly was clearly excited and extremely talkative. But Simon didn’t mind her interest and enthusiasm.
With a smiling face, he responded to her chatter with polite affirmations.
“I was especially surprised when I heard you passed the exam using a Blood Golem! Isn’t that a technique for third-years? Right? It’s incredible! If someone as amazing as you came to our kingdom......! Ah, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t be saying things like that here! Aha-ha! Please pretend you didn’t hear it!”
Serne and Loraine, smiling behind him, both twitched their eyebrows slightly.
They were already on edge about talent scouting, and now even the Dresden royal family was showing signs of recruitment interest.
And Princess Molly’s chatter didn’t stop.
“Actually, I’m sixteen, and I’ll be seventeen next year! I’ve been begging Mama to let me open my Core so I can enter Keyzen!”
‘Huh?’
Simon blinked at the surprising statement. A royal might enter next year as a first-year junior.
“But Mama is strongly against it. She says opening a Core makes childbirth harder for women.”
“Ha! What kind of bullsh—”
Serne caught herself just in time and corrected her tone.
“How unfortunate that such baseless old wives’ tales are still circulating~”
“Right, right?”
Princess Molly quickly turned back toward Simon.
“I’ve already planned out which classes I want to take and what major I want to pursue at Keyzen! I originally wanted to major in Toxicology, but after watching your duel evaluation, I changed my mind! I want to major in Summonology too!”
Simon gave a wide grin.
“I think it’s a worthwhile field of study. If you enroll in Keyzen next year, I’ll teach you well.”
Princess Molly clasped her hands with a moved expression.
“Then I’ll be in your care, senior!”
“!”
Simon’s shoulders twitched slightly.
He thought he’d live his whole life as a first-year, so hearing the word “senior” for the first time gave him a strange thrill in his chest.
Of course, that was still far in the future. For now, all he could think about was surviving his first year.
“Ahem.”
Just then, Loraine cleared her throat.
“Your Highness. Shouldn’t we be getting ready now?”
“Oh! You’re right! Come, I’ll guide you. This way, please!”
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters